Dementia information for culturally and linguistically diverse communities: sources, access and considerations for effective practice
Desiree Boughtwood A , Christopher Shanley B , Jon Adams C H , Yvonne Santalucia D , Helena Kyriazopoulos E , Dimity Pond F and Jeffrey Rowland GA Cumberland Prospect Multicultural Health Project, Cumberland Hospital, Fleet Street, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia.
B Aged Care Research Unit/Advance Care Planning Project Officer, Sydney South West Area Health Service, 2–4 Speed Street, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
C Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, University of Technology Sydney, Level 7 Building 10, 235–253 Jones Street, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
D Sydney South West Area Health Service, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.
E National Cross Cultural Dementia Network, Alzheimer’s Australia, 27 Conyngham Street, Glenside, SA 5065, Australia.
F Discipline of General Practice, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
G Department of Internal Medicine, Prince Charles Hospital, Rode Road, Chermside, Qld 4032, Australia.
H Corresponding author. Email: jon.adams@uts.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 18(3) 190-196 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY11014
Submitted: 4 February 2011 Accepted: 20 July 2011 Published: 15 November 2011
Abstract
Providing information about dementia has been shown to produce immense benefits for people living with dementia and their carers. The dementia information needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families have not been comprehensively investigated. Addressing this research gap, the current study examines the perspectives of a range of stakeholders – CALD family caregivers (Arabic, Chinese, Italian and Spanish speaking), bilingual and bicultural workers, bilingual general practitioners and geriatricians – about dementia-related information. The study focussed on sources of information, issues of access and considerations for improving information provision. The main findings that are relevant for improving policy and practice are: the need for a more strategic and coordinated approach to dissemination structures and processes, a greater emphasis on supporting and enhancing the interpersonal aspects of information provision, the need for a greater range of information for CALD communities and the need to ensure information resources and processes reflect the circumstances and needs of these communities.
Additional keywords: CALD, dementia carers, information provision, multicultural health.
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